おやつ

• Reading: おやつ
• Romaji: oyatsu
• Pronunciation: /o.ja.tsɯ/

Meaning

Snack; between-meal treat. A light food eaten between main meals.

Usually refers to an afternoon snack, traditionally eaten around 3 PM. The word comes from 八つ時 (yatsudoki), an old time system where 'the eighth hour' corresponded to roughly 2-3 PM. Can refer to any type of snack — sweets, rice crackers, fruit, or even sandwiches. Often written in hiragana.

Examples

1. 三時におやつを食べましょう。 Let's have a snack at three o'clock.
2. 今日のおやつはクッキーです。 Today's snack is cookies.
3. おやつの時間が楽しみです。 I look forward to snack time.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, children, school

Tone: friendly

Origin & History

From 八つ時 (yatsudoki, 'the eighth hour' in the old Japanese time system), which corresponded to approximately 2-3 PM — the traditional snack time. Over time, the word shifted from the time to the food itself.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal